This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a disc housed in a disc cartridge and a disc cartridge ejection device.
There has hitherto been employed a disc recording and/or reproducing which has a disc cartridge accommodating therein a disc-shaped recording medium, as an information recording medium, such as an optical disc or a magneto-optical disc, and which is miniaturized to a portable size.
In this sort of the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, such an apparatus is now in use in which the disc cartridge is loaded in position for recording and/or reproduction on a main body portion of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, using a holder supported for rotation by the main body portion of the apparatus having arranged therein a disc rotating and driving mechanism, an optical pickup and a magnetic head representing recording and/or reproducing means.
In this disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a cartridge loading unit for loading a disc cartridge is mounted on an upper surface of the main body portion of the apparatus. The holder accommodating and holding the disc cartridge is mounted on the main body portion of the apparatus for rotation between a lowered position towards the cartridge loading unit and an elevated position spaced apart from the cartridge loading unit. When the holder is moved towards the cartridge loading unit, the disc cartridge accommodated and held therein is loaded on the cartridge loading unit. When the disc cartridge, held by the holder, is moved to the elevated position spaced apart from the cartridge loading unit, the disc cartridge is spaced apart from the cartridge loading unit, while being protruded outwardly of the holder.
As an ejection device for protruding the cartridge holder, accommodated and held in the holder, to outside the holder, such a one has hitherto been used which is provided with an ejection lever rotationally operated by the disc cartridge held by the holder. This ejection lever is rotationally supported on a base member arranged in the main body portion of the apparatus and is rotationally biased by a biasing member, provided independently of the ejection lever, in a direction of protruding the disc cartridge held by the holder in a direction protruding from the holder. When the disc cartridge is inserted and held in the pre-set intruded position in the holder, the ejection lever is engaged by a portion of the ejection releasing mechanism provided on the main body portion of the apparatus, so that the ejection lever is held in a state of not thrusting the disc cartridge held by the holder.
If the ejection releasing mechanism is actuated, as the disc cartridge is held by the holder, such that the ejection releasing mechanism is unlocked, the ejection lever is rotated, under the bias of the biasing member, so that the disc cartridge held by the holder is projected outside of the holder.
In the conventional ejection mechanism, at least the ejection lever and the biasing member rotationally biasing this ejection lever are provided independently of each other, whilst there is provided a mechanism for locking the ejection lever when the disc cartridge is inserted and held in the holder, resulting in an increased number of component parts and a complicated structure.
As this sort of the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, there is such an apparatus in which a lid is mounted for rotation on the main body portion of the apparatus for overlying the holder. The lid, provided on this apparatus, is rotated in unison with the holder rotation, such that, when the holder has been moved towards the cartridge loading unit, the lid is locked by a lock mechanism provided between the lid and the main body portion to maintain the closed state of the cartridge loading unit. When rotated to a position closing the cartridge loading unit, the lid closes a cartridge entrance/exit aperture provided in the front surface opposite to the proximal end provided with the rotary pivot of the holder. When rotated to a raised position spaced from the main body portion for opening the cartridge loading unit, the lid opens the cartridge entrance/exit aperture provided in the holder.
The lid which is rotated in unison with holder rotation and which when rotated to the lower position closing the cartridge loading unit or to the raised position opening the cartridge loading unit closes and opens the cartridge entrance/exit aperture in the holder, respectively, is rotated in a direction away from the holder to open the cartridge entrance/exit aperture when the lock by the lock mechanism is released to permit the lid to be rotated in a direction away from the holder.
Thus, there is provided a spring member between the lid and the holder for rotating the lid in a direction away from the holder when the lid is released from the locked state by the lock mechanism and is rotated in the upward direction away from the main body portion.
The holder is also provided with a spring member for thrusting and supporting the disc cartridge held by the holder against the cartridge loading unit when the holder is rotated towards the cartridge loading unit. This spring member thrusts and supports the disc cartridge loaded on the cartridge loading unit to prevent the disc cartridge from being floated from the cartridge loading unit to load the disc cartridge in position on the cartridge loading unit. The holder is also provided with a shutter opening/closing member constituted by a spring plate adapted for controlling the movement of a shutter member provided on the disc cartridge held by the holder, permitting relative movement between the main cartridge body portion housing the disc-shaped recording medium and the shutter member and for opening/closing a recording and/or reproducing aperture provided on the main cartridge body portion.
Meanwhile, a spring member, adapted to rotate the lid away from the holder, is formed independently of the lid or the holder, and is mounted on the lid or the holder. Also, the spring member for thrusting and supporting the disc cartridge loaded on the cartridge loading unit and the shutter opening/closing member are formed independently of the lid or the holder and are mounted on the holder using a caulking pin or a set screw.
Thus, in the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, in which each spring member is formed independently of the lid or the holder, not only the number of component parts increased and the assembling complicated, but it becomes difficult to reduce the thickness and the size of the apparatus itself more significantly.
If, in a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which has enabled the recording of information signals employing an optical disc, information signals are recorded on an optical disc, the magnetic head is caused to approach to the major surface of the optical disc provided with the signal recording area. In reproducing information signals recorded on the optical disc, there is no necessity for applying an external magnetic field from the magnetic head, so that the magnetic head is moved to a position spaced apart from the major surface of the optical disc. By separating the magnetic head from the optical disc in this manner in case there is no necessity of using the magnetic head, the magnetic head and the optical disc are prevented from being worn out due to relative sliding contact between the magnetic head and the optical disc to improve the durability of the magnetic head and the optical disc.
In a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing, as a recording medium, an optical disc enabling the recording of information signals, a holder rotatably supported by a main body portion of the apparatus, provided with a disc rotating driving unit and an optical pickup constituting recording and/or reproducing means, is used for loading the disc cartridge in position for recording and/or reproduction on the main body portion of the apparatus. This disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus is configured so that a magnetic head is mounted on the distal end of a head supporting arm extended on the holder and so that the head supporting arm is rotationally driven in operative association with holder rotation.
If, in the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the head supporting arm supporting the magnetic head on a holder rotationally mounted on the main body portion of the apparatus, information signals are to be recorded, the magnetic head is intruded into the holder through a head inserting aperture provided in the holder into sliding contact with the optical disc loaded in the recording and/or reproducing position. If, in this disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the disc cartridge is intruded or ejected, as the magnetic head remains intruded into the holder, the disc cartridge collides against the magnetic head to destruct the head.
If, in this sort of the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the disc cartridge is intruded into or ejected from the holder, the magnetic head is moved to an elevated position, further outwardly of the holder from the position of reproducing the information signals recorded on the optical disc, in order to positively prohibit the disc cartridge from colliding against the magnetic head.
Meanwhile, the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, employing an optical disc enabling recording of information signals, as a recording medium, the magnetic head position in the vertical direction is controlled depending on the recording mode of recording information signals on the optical disc, reproducing mode of reproducing information signals recorded on the optical disc or the ejection mode of ejecting the optical disc loaded at the recording and/or reproducing position.
The magnetic head is adapted to be uplifted or lowered by causing corresponding movement by a driving motor of an uplifting/lowering control lever designed for uplifting or lowering an uplifting/lowering operating member configured for uplifting/lowering the magnetic head. Meanwhile, the uplifting/lowering operating member and the uplifting/lowering control lever are interconnected by a connecting member.
For controlling the vertical position of the magnetic head depending on the respective operating modes, the magnetic head position is detected by detecting the position of the uplifting/lowering lever, and the driving motor is driven depending on the detected position of the magnetic head to control the magnetic head position. This control is performed by detecting the magnetic head position by detection switches provided in association with the recording mode position, a reproducing mode position and an ejection mode position. If the detection switches are provided in this manner at the respective magnetic head positions to be detected, not only is the number of the detection switches increased, but is the mounting space for the detection switches increased to render it difficult to reduce the size of the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel recording and/or reproducing apparatus and a novel ejection device in which it is possible to resolve the problem inherent in a conventional recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and an ejection device in which it is possible to simplify the mechanism and to reduce the number of component parts and the size of the apparatus itself.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the mechanism for detecting the position of the magnetic head uplifted and lowered to plural positions depending on the operating mode to simplify the apparatus.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the magnetic head can be protected reliably.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which a disc cartridge can be reliably intruded into and ejected from the holder.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which a disc cartridge can be positively supported in a cartridge loading unit provided on the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus to permit the disc to be rotationally driven in a stable state.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which the shutter member can be reliably opened or closed in association with the disc cartridge intrusion and ejection.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the present invention, proposed for accomplishing the above object, includes a base member at least having a rotation driving mechanism for rotationally driving a disc housed in a disc cartridge, a holder into which is inserted the disc cartridge, and an ejection lever formed by an elastically flexible lever. The holder is mounted for movement between a first position in which the disc inserted in the disc cartridge is loaded on the rotation driving mechanism and a second position in which the disc housed in the disc cartridge is spaced apart from the rotation driving mechanism, the second position being higher in level than the first position. The ejection lever is elastically flexed by the disc cartridge inserted into the holder from a position protruded into the holder to the position extending along the back side of the holder. When elastically flexed to the position extending along the back surface of the holder, the ejection lever is engaged with the holder moved to the first position.
As the holder is moved from the first position to the second position, the releasing portion provided on the holder operates the engaging portion provided on the ejection lever to disengage the holder to restore the ejection lever in a direction of being projected into the holder to project the disc cartridge from the holder.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to the present invention also includes an optical pickup device mounted for movement along the radius of the disc housed in a disc cartridge loaded on a rotation driving mechanism and a magnetic head device mounted facing the optical pickup device on the holder. This magnetic head device is moved along the disc radius in unison with the optical pickup device to record information signals on the disc in cooperation with the optical pickup device.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus also includes an uplifting/lowering mechanism adapted to be moved between a position of descent protruded into the holder through an opening provided in the magnetic head device and an uplifted position released from the holder opening and spaced apart from the holder, so that, with movement of the holder, the magnetic head device is moved between the first and second positions with holder movement.
The magnetic head device also includes a magnetic head portion and a supporting arm carrying the magnetic head portion at its distal end and which is mounted for rotation between a position of descent and an uplifted position. The uplifting/lowering mechanism includes an uplifting/lowering actuating portion for rotationally driving the supporting arm, a driving portion for driving the uplifting/lowering portion and a detecting portion for detecting the position of the driving portion. The operation of the driving portion is controlled based on a detection output from the detecting portion.
The driving portion includes a control lever engaged with the uplifting/lowering portion when the holder is at the first position, and a motor for driving the control lever. The detecting portion detects the position of the control lever, whilst the motor is controlled based on the detection output from the detecting portion. This driving portion is controlled so as to be driven n the direction of transiently moving the magnetic head device to the uplifted position after power up of the apparatus.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a base member provided on a main body portion of the apparatus and having a loading unit on which is loaded a disc housed in a disc cartridge having a shutter for opening/closing a recording and/or reproducing aperture adapted to cause the disc to face outwards, a holder into which is inserted the disc cartridge, a lid rotationally mounted on the main body portion of the apparatus for rotation along with the holder, an ejection lever formed by an elastically flexible lever and which is elastically flexed by the disc cartridge inserted into the holder from a position protruded into the holder to the position extending along the back side of the holder, and a lock mechanism for locking the lid at the position of closing the loading unit. The holder is mounted for movement between a first position in which the disc inserted in the disc cartridge is loaded on the rotation driving mechanism and a second position in which the disc housed in the disc cartridge is spaced apart from the rotation driving mechanism, with the second position being higher in level than the first position. When elastically flexed to a position extending along the back surface of the holder, the ejection lever is engaged with the holder moved to the first position. The ejection lever is disengaged from the holder when the holder is moved towards the second position.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus also includes an optical pickup device movable along the radius of the disc housed in the disc cartridge loaded on the rotation driving mechanism and a magnetic head device mounted on the holder for facing the optical pickup device. The magnetic head device is movable along the radius of the disc as one with the optical pickup device.
The holder is integrally formed by an elastic flexing piece comprised of a thrusting portion for thrusting the intruded disc cartridge to the loading unit and a biasing portion for biasing the lid from the closure position in a direction of opening the loading unit, and an opening actuating unit for moving the shutter of the intruded disc cartridge in a direction of opening the recording and/or reproducing aperture. The elastic flexing piece is formed by the thrusting portion and the biasing portion each with urging operating in contrary directions. The holder has a shutter holding portion holding the shutter in the position of opening the recording and/or reproducing aperture. The shutter holding portion is engaged with the shutter to move the shutter in a direction of closing the recording and/or reproducing aperture when the disc cartridge is ejected by the ejection lever.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to the present invention also includes a base member provided on a main body portion of the apparatus and having a loading unit on which is loaded a disc housed in a disc cartridge having a shutter for opening/closing a recording and/or reproducing aperture adapted to cause the disc to face outwards, a holder into which is inserted the disc cartridge, a lid rotationally mounted on the main body portion of the apparatus for rotation along with the holder and rotation along with the holder, and a lock mechanism for locking the lid at a position of closing the loading unit. The holder is mounted for movement between a first position in which the disc inserted in the disc cartridge is loaded on the rotation driving mechanism and a second position in which the disc housed in the disc cartridge is spaced apart from the rotation driving mechanism, with the second position being higher in level than the first position. The holder is integrally formed by an elastic flexing piece comprised of a thrusting portion for thrusting the intruded disc cartridge to the loading unit and a biasing portion for biasing the lid from the closure position in a direction of opening the loading unit, and an opening actuating unit for moving the shutter of the intruded disc cartridge in a direction of opening the recording and/or reproducing aperture.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.